1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image file editing apparatus and method for editing image files (that may include sound/audio data in addition to image data) on recording media, and to a medium in which a program for image file editing is recorded. In particular, this invention relates to an image file editing apparatus and method and to a medium containing an image file editing program, whereby image files on removable recording media can be conveniently edited.
2. Related Background Art
Image file editing apparatus are known which perform editing operations, such as linking processing and image composition, in regard to image files including moving picture or still picture data, for example. By performing such editing operations, it is possible to create, among other things, a single video work by suitably linking image files that have been separately obtained by imaging multiple scenes in different image pickup operations.
Also, with recent developments in digital signal processing, programs have been developed for realizing the image file editing apparatus as described above using computers.
FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a display screen of a computer using this type of program.
In FIG. 6, at the lower left of a display screen 51, a thumbnail display section 52 is displayed for listing thumbnail images. At the top of display screen 51, an editing region 53 is displayed for appropriately placing thumbnail images by drag-and-drop operations using a mouse, for example. Also, near the topmost part of display screen 51, a menu bar M is displayed for accessing various menus, including a file menu, etc. for performing operations on image files.
In the following, the interactive operations of the operator with this screen will be explained.
First, the operator selects (e.g., by clicking a mouse) an image file on a recording medium using a file menu accessed by the file menu option 54.
The computer partially reads out the leading image from the selected image file, and generates a thumbnail image by reducing the pixel density of that leading image. The thumbnail image generated in this manner is displayed in a list with its associated file name in the thumbnail display section 52. In FIG. 6, thumbnail images and file names of image file A and image file B are listed.
From the thumbnail display section 52, the operator can drag and drop individual thumbnail images up to editing region 53.
After such drag-and-drop operations, the computer arranges the thumbnail images in an array in accordance with the dropped positions of the thumbnail images.
When a playback button (triangular mark) near the top-right corner of editing region 53 is clicked, the computer sequentially reads out the corresponding image files in the order of the thumbnail images arranged in editing region 53. The computer sequentially plays back the image files read out in this manner in a sub-window (not illustrated) that is temporarily created on display screen 51.
Also, when "compile movie" on file menu or the like is selected, the computer creates a single image file by sequentially linking the corresponding image files in the order of the thumbnail images arranged in editing region 53.
Since image files generally require a large file capacity, a series of image files often cannot be contained on a single recording medium. For example, when using a digital video camera to record an event spanning a long period of time, such as a wedding, a single recording medium may not be sufficient to last the entire event. Thus, recording must be conducted using multiple recording media, with different image files being recorded on each recording medium.
When editing image files distributed among multiple recording media, a warning display 55 as shown in FIG. 6 is frequently displayed by conventional image file editing apparatus and image editing programs. In the form shown, the warning display 55 provides a warning indicating that image file A displayed in thumbnail display section 52 cannot be found on the current recording medium. Consequently, the editing operation cannot be normally performed with respect to that image file. This situation would arise when, for example, the recording medium containing image file A has been replaced by a current one for newly registering another image file B in thumbnail display section 52.
In the conventional example, therefore, recording media have to be replaced many times following warning displays from the apparatus, thus making editing operations cumbersome and complex.
In order to avoid the above-mentioned problems, it has heretofore been necessary first to prepare separately a large-capacity hard disk device or the like, and to copy all the image files on the individual recording media to the hard disk device. This process is both time-consuming and inconvenient.